Stuart Kemp
Medical City McKinney's healthcare team helped organize a virtual ceremony for Stuart Kemp, so he could still attend his daughter's wedding.
The rare spinal condition called myelomalacia didn’t stop Medical City McKinney patient Stuart Kemp from participating in his daughter’s wedding, with a little help from his hospital caregivers.
Kemp’s physician, Shashank Gandhi, MD, neurosurgery, says myelomalacia is a serious condition in which the spinal cord softens due to lack of blood supply. The condition can cause permanent nerve damage.
In Kemp’s case, hospitalization, treatment and therapy meant he would miss walking his daughter Karsyn down the aisle on her wedding day. That’s when nurses at Medical City McKinney jumped into action.
On Sept. 30, 2023, hospital staff helped Kemp dress in a smart suit, don his cowboy hat, and facilitated a live video stream so that he could participate in his daughter’s wedding, albeit virtually. Then, they all joined in a bedside celebration that included a special meal, cake, champagne and wedding party photos to share with his daughter.
“My daughter, Karsyn, is my pride and joy. I was devastated I could not walk my only daughter down the aisle. The staff at Medical City McKinney made this difficult situation a lot brighter under the circumstances. I cannot thank them enough for their compassion.”
Noting how his compassionate care team went above and beyond to care for his heart as well as his body, Stuart Kemp voiced gratitude for the care team that made it possible to celebrate and share in his daughter’s joy on her wedding day.